1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerant distributing device for a multi-type air conditioner, and more particularly, to a refrigerant distributing device for a multi-type air conditioner, which distributes a refrigerant supplied from an outdoor unit to a plurality of indoor units.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
An air conditioner is installed in a room to heat or cool or purify indoor air, thereby providing a fresh indoor environment.
Generally, the air conditioner comprises compressor, condenser, expansion valve, evaporator, and the like, which are connected by a refrigerant pipe along which the refrigerant flows when the air conditioner is operated.
Recently, a multi-type air conditioner comprising a plurality of indoor units operated by a single outdoor unit has been increasingly used.
In the conventional multi-type air conditioner, the refrigerant discharged from one or more compressors is gathered into a single refrigerant pipe, divided and then distributed into the respective indoor units by a refrigerant distributor.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show the structure of a refrigerant distributing device of the conventional multi-type air conditioner.
In FIG. 1, a conventional refrigerant distributing device comprises an inlet pipe 2 connected to an outdoor unit to supply a refrigerant, a distributor 1 to distribute the refrigerant induced through the inlet pipe 2, and a plurality of outlet pipes 3 to guide the refrigerant distributed by the distributor 1 to a plurality of indoor units.
Referring to FIG. 2, the distributor 1 comprises a single inlet port 1a, and a plurality of outlet ports 1b. The inlet port 1a is connected with the inlet pipe 2 (see FIG. 1), and the outlet ports 1b are connected with the outlet pipes 3 (see FIG. 1).
The distributor 1 has a plurality of flow paths 1c branched therein to allow the refrigerant induced through the inlet port 1a to be distributed to the respective outlet ports 1b. Thus, when the refrigerant is supplied to the inlet port 1a through the inlet pipe 2, the refrigerant is divided by the respective flow paths 1c within the distributor 1, and is distributed to the respective outlet ports 1b. Then, the refrigerant is supplied to the respective indoor units through the outlet pipes 3.
However, such a conventional refrigerant distributing device has problems as follows.
First, the refrigerant flowing into the distributor 1 through the inlet pipe 2 comprises a liquid refrigerant and a gaseous refrigerant. In the refrigerant, the gaseous refrigerant having a low specific gravity tends to flow through an upper flow path of the flow paths in the distributor 1, while the liquid refrigerant tends to flow through a lower flow path within the distributor 1.
As a result, the refrigerant is unevenly distributed through the respective flow paths 1c of the distributor 1, causing uneven heat exchanging efficiency of the indoor units.
Second, the conventional refrigerant distributing device cannot adjust an amount of refrigerant supplied through the respective outlet pipes. As a result, the conventional refrigerant distributing device has a problem in that the amount of refrigerant cannot be suitably distributed according to cooling capacity of the indoor units located in respective rooms.